Garage door bottom seals

The bottom seal is the rubber or vinyl strip along the bottom edge of the door that meets the floor. It's one of three seal positions: Clopay lists bottom, top and side seals as separate parts, all meant to keep out drafts, debris and pests. (source: Clopay) Garaga likewise sells bottom seals and perimeter weather seals as their own parts. (source: Garaga)

Signs it's time

• Daylight showing under the closed door, or leaves and water blowing in.
• A seal that is flattened, torn, brittle or hanging loose.
• A strip that has come out of its channel entirely. Amarr's answer to "the bottom seal fell off, can it be replaced?" is yes: most bottom seals can be. (source: Amarr)

A gap at only one end usually means the floor is uneven or the door is out of level, not just a bad seal. If the door itself sits crooked, the cause may be a spring or cable problem; see cable and drum repair.

What has to match

Seals are not one-size-fits-all. Clopay says to measure the length of the door and the width of the seal channel to get the right fit. (source: Clopay) The seal profile also has to fit the retainer (the channel it slides into) on your particular door. If the retainer itself is bent or rusted through, it is replaced along with the seal.

Why seals matter more here

Salt is hard on the bottom of a door. Amarr recommends washing a steel or aluminum door once a year and more often if you live with salt air or salt your driveway, and a routine check of the door twice a year. (source: Amarr) Garaga points out that weatherstripping at the bottom and perimeter matters to a door's real-world insulation, alongside its R-value. (source: Garaga) A new insulated door with a worn bottom seal still leaks cold air.

Repair or replace

A worn seal is a part swap, not a reason for a new door. A rusted-out bottom section or retainer is different: it may mean a new section (panel replacement) or, on an old uninsulated door, a new door.

What we do

We replace bottom seals, retainers and perimeter weatherstripping on doors from any maker, and we can source and install doors from major manufacturers such as Clopay, Garaga, Wayne Dalton and Amarr when a door is past saving. Not an authorized dealer for any brand. Licensed and insured, and we service and install all brands. Proof of insurance, license and 1099 available on request.

Call (781) 602-0737 with the door width and a photo of the bottom edge.

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Call (781) 602-0737

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